


Towards The Dawn

by iceyly



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-08
Updated: 2013-04-08
Packaged: 2017-12-07 22:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/753553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceyly/pseuds/iceyly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabble/One-Shot series, Riku-centric - There is a gap in between who he is supposed to be right now and who he has become, one that he will need some time to bridge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Towards The Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> This kind of ended up being written as continuation of the Good End Meme at the Dreamwidth horror roleplaying game Tower of Animus, where I play Original Universe!Riku. While the meme itself dealt with the characters' goodbyes from each other and the tower, I kind of couldn't help wondering how Riku would continue on after returning to canon with all his memories and abilities of it in-tact, and well... here we are. |D;
> 
> I may make some references to game events, cross canon characters that Riku met there, ect, though I'll probably try to keep those at minimum and if I do, I will leave explanations at the end of the chapter.
> 
> Enjoy?

The first moment of being _back_ is disorienting, the sudden step out of the liberated tower back into the cold and wet of The World That Never Was, out of the body of the eighteen-years-old he had become, back into the sixteen-years-old he had been when he had arrived, the fabric of his blindfold feeling almost foreign against his face. It's been so long since he's worn it for anything but exercise.

It takes a moment to grasp what's going on, to refocus on Roxas fighting the Heartless below - it's one thing to know that they are supposed to fight, but quite another to be back right in the middle of it, when it had seemed so far before, something that he would have to do _one day_ whenever they managed to defeat Ruana, Jason and whatever was destroying the worlds and were allowed back to their homes.

When he had stepped through the portal back to his 'homeworld' he had thought himself ready. Now he isn't quite so sure about that.

It's never been about ready or not though, not before his two year detour to the Tower of Animus and certainly not after. And so he just acts on instinct when Oblivion comes flying, letting himself fall off the edge, his hand curling around the familiar-yet-not-Keyblade, and just that moment he can feel Xion's shoulder beneath his hand - just like he's felt it the endless number of times he had comforted her by the way of that simple touch that was meant to convoy that he is there for her. That he will protect her no matter what.

It hits him just as his feet touch the ground... her memory isn't fading anymore. He remembers _everything_ without any effort at all.

Dazed, he stares at the Keyblade, only snapping out of it when the scent of Neo Shadows washes over him, and he turns just barely in time to slay the one that was trying to take the jump on him. A grim smile flickers over his face - compared to the mutated versions he had faced off with countless times in the tower, those Heartless are almost cute.

A moment later, Roxas has landed by his side and two, three strikes from both Keyblades later the rest of the Heartless is dealt with. It's strange to face him now, after all the time he's spent watching him and keeping his distance in the tower. A lot of things seems strange now.

He almost misses Roxas' hiss - "Who are you?" - and finds himself glad for his blindfold. Roxas probably wouldn't appreciate being regarded with pity and sadness. Or about as much as Ira, anyways.

"Does it really matter? Stand down, Roxas. This isn't a fight you can win."

Not anymore. Not after the two years he's spent fighting and surviving (for the most part). Not after the year of being Terra's apprentice. He's not the same as he once was, regardless of looks. 

"As if. Why are you trying to stop me anyways? Why do you care what happens?"

Once he might have missed the bitter question behind it - who cares for the fate of a Nobody, really - but he's sensing it and he is yet again glad for his blindfold. He can't show emotion now, can't show how much he has withdrawn from the cold, detached part of him that will deal with necessity. There is a gap in between who he is supposed to be right now and who he has become, one that he will need some time to bridge, time that he doesn't have right now.

"Like it or not, you carry the last part of Sora's memories in you and I need those. So, I can't let you do anything stupid."

Roxas' answer comes with a sneer, the scent of bitterness and anger curling around him, for Riku as plain as day to sense. "Sora, Sora, it's always about him."

It is, isn't it... Riku can't really deny that. But then again, he wouldn't want it any other way anyways. He has that choice... and yet no choice at all either. It's funny how it works like that.

"...What are you planning to do?"

He knows the answer to this - it's not like Roxas' intentions are all that subtle given his rushed entrance with blazing Keyblades. Still... he needs to know for sure. ...He almost regrets that he had insisted to Naminé that he doesn't need to know anything beyond whether Sora will awaken or not.

"I'm going to set Kingdom Hearts free. I'll make everything go back to the way it was. And then me and Axel, and... and _her_ can go on having ice cream together."

It's a child's dream, Riku thinks as sadness sweeps over him again, sadness and the certainty that Roxas' wish won't be granted... at least not here. Not any time soon. Too much has happened for anything to ever go back the way it was. Telling him that won't change anything though... and so he focuses on the other detail jumping out to him.

"Xion, huh? It's getting harder and harder to remember her for you, isn't it?"

For Roxas and everyone else that isn't him; his own memory is still sharp and appears to be staying that way. He's not entirely sure, if that's a blessing or a curse. He is so caught up in that thought that he almost misses Roxas going on, though the desperation that is hidden beneath all that anger is striking. 

"I have to find Sora and freeing Kingdom Hearts is the only way! I want Xion back. I want my life back!"

Well... what can he really reply to that. Riku shakes his head and sighs.

"Going anywhere near Kingdom Hearts will get you nothing except killed and I can't let that happen."

This isn't the Tower after all, there aren't any re-tries here. There is only the end. _(In his mind he's hearing Xion's voice whisper - "Riku, please! You have to stop him!" - and he just clenches his hand harder around Oblivion; he knows.)_

He presses his lips together, shortly wondering about the offer that is about to pass his lips - how smart it truly is to mention this. If he shouldn't just knock him out and drag him to the mansion.

Except... Roxas deserves more than that. Riku can't offer him a choice, not like he had Xion... he can't even give him much time to think on it. But he can perhaps offer understanding of what will happen, of why it has to happen - no matter how unfair it may be. Xion probably would have liked that.

"Stand down, Roxas and I'll tell what I can. And at the end, if you still want that, I'll take you to Sora."

He lifts his head to meet the Nobody's eyes - then realizes that while he can 'see' the other's, he is still wearing the blindfold - and reaches up to pull it off with one simple, light tug. He doesn't need it anymore.

Roxas is staring back at him, eyes narrowed in confusion and suspicion of this move and his motivations, but at least he seems a little less angry than before now.

"...Why would you do that?"

Why indeed. The answer is both simple and yet so endlessly complicated and Riku isn't entirely sure how to summarize it best.

"Because the way things are going now, nothing can change what is about to happen."

If Roxas attacks him, they will fight and Riku will win - one way or another. That much is certain. And after that... well, he had seen what how changed Roxas had been. Void of any memory of the Organization or Axel or even a trace of Xion. Happy to believe the illusion.

He's not so sure if that was really all that merciful, compared to waiting, compared to being offered a choice (even when there really is none). Not anymore.

DiZ won't like what he is doing right now, he knows that for sure, though he thinks Naminé might approve of it. He knows Xion would. And really, latter two's opinion are by far more important to him than that of the old man, who's pawn he has become out of necessity. Things have changed now though, and he is not quite that ready to trust him as he was (two years? five minutes?) before.

"If you come with me now though, I can try to offer you some understanding of who you are to Sora and why it's so important that he wakes up. I won't sugarcoat the truth."

That's as much promise as warning, because what he is doing now is a gamble and he has far less time to see it all through than he has had with Xion. He can't effort to be anything but brutally honest with Roxas.

"So... what do you say..." He lets go of Oblivion, feeling a pang of grief/regret/sadness in his heart as he sends it back to where it belongs, to Roxas' side, and reaches out, offering his right hand to his best friend's Nobody with a hesitant smile. "Let's go together."

He can feel Roxas' eyes on him as he keeps his offer steady, and he can't help wondering if he shouldn't drop his hand again as a minute passes by without response, but then slowly, hesitatingly, Roxas lowers Oathkeeper, finally dismisses it while taking a step forward, blue eyes clouding a little as he reaches for Riku's hand and the moment that Riku feels his grip tight around his own, he wills the Darkness to swallow them both.

He doesn't know where this path will lead them exactly, doesn't even quite have a destination in mind, but where ever it is, whatever may happen... there certainly isn't any going back now.

**Author's Note:**

> Ruana and Jason are Tower of Animus-original NPCs.
> 
> Ira is that the OU!Riku Replica chose for himself. ~~After months of being nameless/borrowing Riku's name. >.>;~~


End file.
